Just one 10-second kiss transfers 80 million bacteria

November 17, 2014 4:04 PM

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Before germaphobes swear off kissing forever, it should be noted that over 100 trillion microorganisms naturally live in our bodies. Called the microbiome, they are vital for digesting food, synthesizing nutrients and preventing disease.

The researchers - led by Remco Kort, of TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) and adviser to the Micropia museum of microbes in the Netherlands - note that a number of different factors are important for shaping our individual microbiota, including genetic relatedness, diet ...